 St John's is pleased to be twinned with the Church of the Heavenly Rest .
The Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest, New York is at 2 East 90th Street at Fifth Avenue in the heart of Manhattan. It is a vibrant, inclusive church in the heart of a great city—just like St John's.
Our connection comes from the desire of The Bishop of London and the Bishop of New York to see churches in these two cities forge relationships between their communities. London and New York churches share many of the same opportunities and challeneges, proclaiming God's love to all people in the 21st Century.
 Many of St John's congregation travel to New York regularly, to visit families and friends or for business. As there were already a number of people who knew both St John's and the Heavenly Rest, we decided to cement our relationship together.
The Reverend James Burns, Rector of the Heavenly Rest, met with the Vicar to formalise this new venture. "This is a great way of celebrating the exciting things God is doing in people's lives," said Steve Mason, Vicar of St John's. "Though the Atlantic lies between us we share the same hopes and fears, and we have lots to learn from each other."
We welcome our friends from the Church of the Heavenly Rest to worship here at St. John's when they are in London, and we hope our members will take the time to visit the Church of the Heavenly Rest when they are in Manhattan.
More about the Church of the Heavenly RestThe mission of the Church is to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ.
Just months after the Civil War ended in 1865, a group of veterans, with the help of the Reverend Robert Shaw Howland, founded the Church of the Heavenly Rest as a memorial to those who had served and fallen in that terrible conflict. The first services were held in 1865 at the original location at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 45th Street. The parish was officially established in 1868.
 As early as 1890 the church opened a soup kitchen for the poor. By 1900, the parish grew to nearly one thousand members, offering numerous parish activities and supporting a strong Sunday school. The church continued to serve its community and was known nationwide for providing meals, shelter, and job referrals to the needy during the desolate winters of 1915 and 1916.
In 1925, the parish acquired its present location at 90th and Fifth Avenue from Mrs. Andrew Carnegie, who lived across the street in what is now the Smithsonian National Design Museum / Cooper-Hewitt. Bertram Goodhue, a well-respected architectural firm, designed Heavenly Rest and construction began on All Saints' Day in 1926. The new church was dedicated two and one half years later, on Easter Sunday, 1929.
The result was a grand gothic church that combined popular Art Deco details of the time in its architecture and sculpture. The church presents a strong formidable façade within the context of its quiet, residential streetscape. Located directly across from the Engineers' Gate leading into Central Park, Heavenly Rest is a memorable landmark for many visitors of the park. Today, Heavenly Rest is an active and growing parish.
Visit the Church of the Heavenly Rest website . |
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